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I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international
consultants. About living in Italy, the Veneto area near Venice; in Indonesia,
central Java. Why we love the southeast of the United States and moved back from
Italy. Our love for gardening, the botanical way. Sharing with you our manifold
treasures from exotic places and even offering several in my Mariette's Back to
Basics LLC Boutique, for others to enjoy. As well as high end silver items from
Giovanni Raspini, Italy |
google.com/+MariettesBacktoBasics

I
also do classes and consulting... too much to list here! Check out my google.com/+MarietteVandenMunckhofVedderABOUT page, where you see my other LINKS and email address; you just scroll down.Thanks!

Love to
bring back some romance and quality to the daily life of others...

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Sunday, February 16, 2014

{Antique French Gilt Metal & Glass Biscuit Box with Handle}

On the French eBay I did come across this beautiful Antique French Gilt Metal & Glass Biscuit Box with Handle. The only problem was that one side of the handle had a missing threaded rivet... When I asked my husband if he could repair that, he said yes I can. So off I went and bid on it but the person was NOT willing to ship it to the USA. Well, I asked friend Janny from Rozen van Papier (Paper Roses) if she could help me out. She graciously did so and that's how I ended up being in possession of this antique French Biscuit Box. Only at Christie's I did find something similar: A VICTORIAN GILT METAL BISCUIT BARREL AND COVER WITH CUT-GLASS LINER, LATE 19TH CENTURY... Have a look at ours below, it is the same size as the one at Christie's above but not as valuable. But this is now our treasure!

Would you not have fallen in love with it?

One of those threaded rivets on the side of the handle was missing...

So what did I do to find a matching one?

Husband Pieter took the two off from the glass lid and replaced the one missing on the handle with one of them.

Than I went on line for finding two new ones for putting on the glass lid again.

Guess what? I ended up at Restoration Supply Companyin Escondido, California where I ordered my two round threaded rivets and nut hex!

We received excellent service from Miss Brandi K. Gay!

To the right is Brandi K. Gray.

A very caring company with OUTSTANDING customer service!

So refreshing to learn that such high courtesy companies still exist...

Somebody had tried to glue them to the glass top...

Tricky for removing all that gunk without damaging but Pieter managed to do so.

On top of the lid are the two new round threaded rivets with their matching hex nut that Pieter did saw to fit.

This Gilt Metal & Glass Biscuit Box measures 18.5 cm x 12 cm and 11 cm high or 7.3 inches long and 4.7 inch wide and 4.3 inch high. Quite a size and I filled it up with home baked Amaretti cookies made from almond meal.

Quite lovely or not?

What a history this biscuit box has had... wish it could speak!

So glad it arrived here safely in one piece; all the way from France.

Love those ball feet! Very nice beveled corners too.

If you like to sit down for a while, I will make you a tea or coffee to go with these Amaretti cookies.

Dearest Mei,You are more than welcome for having two of these Amaretti cookies. I especially bake them from pure almond meal and not that much sugar because as you know I'm type 2 diabetes myself. But this is a healthy one for you and me. Oh, I fell in love right away with that French biscuit box!Hugs to you,Mariette

Hello Mariette, Although America is the home of the cookie jar, the ones here tend to be on the whimsical side. Trust France to come up with this elegant, crystal design. I know the missing bolts were supposedly a drawback, but it is fun using ingenuity to solve the problem, and this way it makes a better story than simply buying an intact container!--Jim

Dear Jim,Guess you are right about the USA being a land of milk and cookies with lots of cookie jars. France is great in design and this looked so attractive indeed. We both are glad that with ingenuity we could rescue this and give it another stretch of life.Enjoy your weekend.Mariette

Dear Mariette, that biscuit box is gorgeous. So wonderful that you and Pieter have lovingly restored it as it is obvious that someone just tried to make a quick fix of it. It shows that you put love and care into everything you do. I would love to come sit and have a cup of coffee with you and one of those delicious amaretti cookies. Yum! Hugs, Tammy

Dearest Tammy,Thank you so much dear friend and yes, this one did bring joy after we were able to restore it to its original stage. You are quite welcome to a tea with my Amaretti cookies!Hugs and love to you,Mariette

Dearest Michiko,Yes, with the help of Janny from Rozen van Papier we owe this treasure now. Never have seen one like this, only the one from that Christie's auction from the link I gave. We are so glad that Pieter was able to restore it to perfect presentation and use with my home baked Amaretti cookies. Wish we could sit together for coffee or tea!Hugs,Mariette

Dearest Mariette;Wow, how happy for you two to be able to get this and fixed it OK(*^_^*) I've never seen a biscuit box like this. Right, beveled corners are REALLY beautiful♡♡♡ Never have I had Amaretti cookies, either; love to have a coffee or tea with you and have them :-)

Sending you lots of love and hugs to my dear friend in America, xoxo Miyako*

Good Morning Dearest Mariette ... Your treasure is simply beautiful and what a travel story to arrive to you. Blog friends are so helpful, thoughtful and inspiring. Pieter did an excellent job on giving this little treasure an extended life. So happy that you will be enjoying it when you have your tea.I am smiling as I am enjoying my morning cup of coffee with your delicious Amaretti cookies (literally) as I'm reading your post. Merci my friend ... hugs and blessings, C. (HHL)

Dearest Celia,Thank you so much dear friend and glad that you too can enjoy my home baked Amaretti cookies. We too keep a constant supply on hand and everyone so far loves them. This treasure will serve us for many more years to come. Wish it could talk and tell us tea or coffee stories from France...Hugs and happy weekend to you!Mariette

Dearest Suzi,Thank you and indeed this biscuit barrel is very elegant and also practical. I'm proud that Pieter was able to restore it to full use again. No, there is no amaretto in these cookies, they are called Amaretti because of the bitter almonds and I also use almond meal with egg whites and some sugar...Hugs,Mariette

Dearest Mariette, this is an absolutely lovely vintage biscuit box!!!! I like it so much, I could take the first plane to come and have a cup of tea with you with some of your home made biscuits!!!! And congratulations to Pieter who was able to replace the missing rivet!! I dare say I prefer the style of this box to the one you found at Christies! Enjoy it as much as you can!!Hugs to you!!!!!Marie-Anne

Dearest Marie-Anne,Thank you very much, this is a true French treasure and is perfect for daily use. You are more than welcome any time for some tea or coffee and I will bake some fresh Amaretti for you!Hugs,Mariette

This biscuit box is really pretty! Love it!How sweet of your friend Janny to help you get it and your husband Pieter keeps amazing me. He is capable of everything! I love that we can see yummy cookies through the glass :-) Oh so tempting!

Dearest Tamago,Oh sure we owe it to friend Janny for letting me ship it to her as that Frenchman refused to ship it directly to the USA. Without her I would not be in the possession of such a beautiful French biscuit box. You will get some of my Amaretti cookies some time soon... Hugs,Mariette

Dearest Leticia,Haha, those cookies are some healthy ones as I use pure almond meal and bitter almonds with egg whites and some sugar... They are very delicious.The box is so lovely and we enjoy it very much.Hugs,Mariette

Good Morning Mariette, This is a beautiful French gilt glass biscuit box. I remember as a child, my Grandmother, Ivy, always had a biscuit barrel on her sideboard and at 4.o'clock in the afternoon we were allowed a biscuit with our drink. Thank you Mariette, you have brought back some lovely memories for me.Best WishesDaphne

Dearest Daphne,Thank you and it is wonderful for remembering fond childhood memories from your Grandmother! This is a lovely treasure and we will use it for many years to come.Happy Sunday afternoon and evening to you with hugs,Mariette

How very lovely this little biscuit box is, Mariette! And how sweet of your friend to help you out with shipping. Pieter did a wonderful job of fixing it, too. I have heard of the Restoration Hardware in Portland. It is good to know they are there for these little problems. What a treasure you now have - I wish I could join you for some tea and amaretto cookies, too. Hugs xo Karen

Dearest Karen,Thank you, this is a treasure indeed. But the Restoration Supply Company from Escondido, California has nothing to do with Restoration Hardware in Portland; that is quite a different company.And about the cookies, there is not amaretto used. The Italian word Amaretti means bitter and I use bitter almonds and almond meal to make them. Like here: http://amzn.to/1jJg70BThey are very expensive, a 2 lb for $ 50.90. Guess you never had these authentic Italian Amaretti cookies and there is NO amaretto in it; no liquor. But I make my own version...Sending you hugs and wishing you a great new week!Mariette

My dear friend Mariette,What a great post today, your French Biscuit Box is so beautiful and it is quite a story behind it, and what a sweet gesture from Janny to help you to buy it. Send you a big hug, love,Laura

Dearest Laura,Thank you and I guess everybody would have fallen in love with this beautiful French biscuit box! Blogger friends are so wonderful and of course we help each other out.Hugs and love to you,Mariette